News

  • New slit-viewing acquisition camera for the Goodman spectrograph

    Submitted by cbriceno on Fri, 2015-12-18 16:57

    A new slit-viewing acquisition camera has been installed and commissioned in the the Goodman High Throughput Spectrograph. The Goodman Acquisition Camera (GACAM) provides users with rapid target acquiring acquisition, alternative to the usual pre-imaging procedure. It operates by inserting a pick-off mirror behind the slit, ahead of the collimator, allowing observers to view the telescope focal plane with the slit removed, or to view targets through the slit to verify centering.

  • SOAR Hiring Data Assistant

    Submitted by jelias on Mon, 2015-11-16 16:08

    SOAR is hiring a data assistant to help us quantify the performance of the telescope and instruments. This person would work with the scientific staff, for a period of up to 3 years, reducing and writing up data taken in the past and in the future, and in developing efficient procedures for continued performance monitoring.

    Details of the position can be found here, together with a link to the on-line application page. We encourage qualified applicants to apply!

  • Spring Snow Storm of Oct 14, 2015

    Submitted by cbriceno on Thu, 2015-10-15 14:47

    Starting from the early hours of October 14, 2015 the IV Region was affected by a weather system that broght considerable rainfall to the La Serena and Coquimbo area, and a significant amount of snow to the Pachón and Tololo area, with the 0 deg isotherm around the 2000 m level. Most was over by the afternoon, and even the sun came out at least in La Serena, but the heavy precipitation left the roads to Tololo and Pachón impassable, and access to our Telescope Operators from the Pachón hotel to SOAR was not possible. The day crew could not drive to SOAR yesterday nor today.

  • Earthquake Impact at SOAR - updated

    Submitted by jelias on Thu, 2015-09-17 16:17

    Final update October 3

    On the night of September 16, a major earthquake occurred in Chile, with its epicenter near Illapel, south of La Serena and Cerro Pachón. The effects of the earthquake are being widely reported elsewhere; this note is restricted to the impact on SOAR.

    Fortunately, nobody on the local staff or their family suffered any injuries, although in some cases family members were affected by flooding from the tsunami that struck coastal areas.

  • SOAR Instrumentation News

    Submitted by jelias on Fri, 2015-09-11 13:02

    New Instrument Capabilities

    Goodman HTS. Work on the Goodman Red Camera continues to progress, although final implementation has been delayed by final delivery of the camera electronics. We continue to expect that this capability will be fully available in 2016A, if not sooner. Once it is fully commissioned it will be offered to users who might benefit. The Goodman web pages will be updated once we have detailed information on performance with the new camera.

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